Izzy Chapter 20: It’s Got That “New-Magic” Smell, Though (Patreon)

With apologies to anyone who already read this chapter when I mistakenly posted it last week.

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They left White behind with a promise to come down to the river regularly; they’d be doing that anyway. When Izzy asked if the naiad wouldn’t be bored, White waved her off.

“I’ll just mess with the turtles and the deer a bit, or hang around the camp full of these ‘gnolls’ you like so much,” she bubbled. “Besides, my sisters will get bored without me sooner or later, and then they’ll come here to find me and everything’ll be great!”

They took her at her word, and once they were well inside the forest again Izzy gave the scrum strict orders never to set foot in the water unless there were at least three of them together. But this was great! As long as White was around, not only did they have someone who’d keep an eye on the gnoll camp — hoping one of the fuzzies would be foolish or careless enough to end up in the water — but knocking people into the river became a viable option!

The sun had started its return to the horizon even before they found the gnolls, but there were still several fingers left of the day. After dealing with the bodies — dumping them in the river — Izzy set the scrum free to hunt and forage; they knew the rules, and Izzy wanted some peace and quiet to talk to her companion. They needed a plan for how to rescue their people, and the first part of that was something Izzy looked forward to immensely: she needed to assign her Level!

She had two options, and both were good. Both would get her Class Skills, and while Shaman definitely felt like the stronger choice, since it would also get her Spells, Scrum Boss had Cat Herding as a Skill choice. She was handling the five youngsters, but that was pretty much her limit, and if everything went well she'd be expanding her scrum by quite a bit, and soon. And there would probably be new Skills to choose from, too.

“I’m glad I have you, Mash,” she said, sitting inside the tree. “What do you think I should do?”

Wish I knew what options you’ll have with the new Level. But I think I know you by now, so, really? You're going to pick Shaman.

The ghost sounded so sure about that, almost smug in her certainty, that Izzy wanted to pick Scrum Boss just to be contrarian. The ghost was also right, which made things worse. “If you said—” she grumbled, but Mash cut her off.

If I said Scrum Boss you might pick it, but you’d be unhappy with the choice. And then you’d become reckless because you want another Level, and we don't need that. Besides, more magic! I don't see how that could ever be a bad choice.

“Yeah,” Izzy sighed happily, any offense entirely forgotten.

Go ahead. Grab it! Let's get to the good stuff!

“See, this why I like you. Squiggles! Shaman!”

The squiggles, fortunately, operated entirely on intent, rather than precise commands.

[Your Class Goblin Shaman has reached Level 8!

New Class Skill slot available for Class: Goblin Shaman!

New spell slot available for Skill: Plant Magic!

New spell slot available for Skill: Wind Magic!]

Izzy cackled with glee, feet kicking uncontrollably. A new Skill! A new or a better plant Spell! And her first Wind Spell, too! This was going to be so good!

She decided to start with her new spells, and since getting her first Wind Spell was the most exciting, she decided to look over her options there first.

[Unlocked spells for Wind Magic:

Air Step

Gale

Rising Wind]

She liked the sound of all of those. Air Step wasn’t flight, but it did what the name said: it let her step on air as though it was solid ground. That could be really useful if she needed to get up somewhere or across a deep ravine or something. Unfortunately it only worked on herself and only let her take one step for each casting, and Mash suggested that the mana cost was pretty steep.

Gale was a much more powerful version of the innate use of the Wind Magic Skill. As long as she fed it mana, a powerful wind would blow from her hand or whatever she channeled the Spell through, covering a large area and strong enough, according to Mash, that it would be able to send people tumbling and fell trees at a high level. As it was it would probably be able to knock many gnolls off balance and keep them that way, in a way that innate Wind Magic would struggle with.

Finally, there was Rising Wind. Another Spell that did what it said: Izzy could target a place on the ground, and a powerful wind would blow straight up from there, sending anything above it flying. Again it would keep going as long as she fed it mana.

She took Rising Wind without further delay.

Rude! Mash complained. I thought we were supposed to talk about these things!

“Oh, right.” Izzy’s excitement at trying her new Spell was only tempered the tiniest bit by a spark of guilt. “Sorry. I just got this picture in my head of sending a gnoll as high as the tree-tops and letting it fall, and I couldn’t resist!”

You’re lucky the Spell can actually do that, and that I agree. Just don’t do the same to yourself, because you’re trying to fly.

“I wasn’t going to,” Izzy said, not convincing even herself.

I’m sure. Let’s take a look at those Plant Spells, shall we?

[Unlocked spells for Plant Magic: 

Animate Plants

Bountiful Harvest

Return to Earth

Tree Sprout

Overgrowth

Strangler Vines

Specialize: Create Vineling

Specialize: Healing Roots

Specialize: Bramble Growth]

Izzy read off her options. The two new Spells were both interesting in their own ways. Overgrowth would make all existing plant life in an area grow like crazy. Trees would grow new leaves, twigs, and even whole branches and roots. Bushes would grow tall, wide, and dense, and grasses, ferns and other ground cover would spread and thicken. This would continue as long as Izzy fed the spell mana, resulting in a large area that would be completely impassable. If you were in the area while the spell was being cast, tough luck.

Strangler Vines, meanwhile, was like a more violent version of Bramble Growth. It created a patch of long, thick vines that would whip around until they latched onto something that the caster considered hostile, at which point they’d reel their unfortunate victim in and, well… strangle them.

Self-fertilizing, Mash commented. Could be very useful for protecting anywhere we camp.

Izzy agreed. Having the tree entirely surrounded by vines that actively tried to choke the life out of any gnoll that approached would be great. And Overgrowth would let her block off large areas, either to make it difficult for the gnolls to get around, or just to spite them. But neither spell really stood out to her in a way that made her want it immediately, like Rising Wind had.

That left the specializations. Partial Regrowth for Healing Roots would let her heal someone just enough to keep them alive, without passing out herself. That could be invaluable. And with how often she used Bramble Growth, specializing that might very well be worth it. 

[Specialize: Bramble Growth

Choose one:

Bountiful Growth: Greatly increases the amount, size, and nutritional value of berries produced by the bramble, both on initial casting and as time passes.

Razorvine Bramble: Greatly increases the amount, size, and sharpness of the bramble’s thorns.

Ironvine Bramble: Greatly increases the strength and toughness of the bramble, making it far more difficult to cut, break, or uproot.]

You’re thinking of taking Bountiful Growth, aren’t you?

Mash knew Izzy too well. Or maybe she knew herself? The blackberries produced by the brambles Izzy grew were already delicious, and she’d lamented on more than one occasion that there weren’t more of them. Sure, she could grow another bramble, but that was a terrible waste of mana. More, bigger, and better berries?

Yeah, Izzy was thinking of specializing her brambles. And she could tell that Mash didn’t approve.

“Life’s for living, isn’t it?” she whined, and Mash sighed.

Yes, but only if you stay alive. And we’re supposed to rescue the rest of the tribe, aren’t we? How is stuffing your face with giant blackberries supposed to help with that.

“We’re going to need to feed them?” Izzy suggested hopefully.

I mean… yes. But we’ll be able to do that anyway. Mash was silent for a bit, then said, Tell you what. Take something immediately useful, and maybe you can take Bountiful Growth next time?”

Izzy sighed. “Fine. What do you suggest?”

I would say Ironvine Bramble, since keeping people in place is how you usually use it, but I’m pretty sure you can’t specialize a Spell twice. So… Partial Regrowth. It’s not sexy, but Healing Roots is hard to use the way it is.

“I guess. Fine. Sure. I’ll do the smart thing. Squiggles, specialize Healing Roots with Partial Regrowth!” She waited as she felt the changes take hold, then muttered. “But I’m getting those berries next time.”

Sure. I’m very proud of you.

“Thanks.”

It got tricky again when Izzy looked at the available Class Skills. She’d been pretty set on getting a new magic Skill, especially after the choices for Plant Magic hadn’t really scratched the new-magic itch. Not only because more magic was objectively better, but because the earlier you got a magic Skill, the more Spells you’d get. Now, though, there was a new Class Skill option that complicated things: Magical Reserves.

[Magical Reserves: Magic Skills are only worth anything so long as you have the mana to power them. Magical Reserves doubles the amount of mana per Level provided by the Class that granted the Skill.]

“What do you think, Mash?” Izzy wished she could see the spirit so she could talk to her directly. It felt vaguely rude to just talk and expect her to listen, a feeling that she was sure must have come from herself, and not from the memories and traits she’d… borrowed from the goblin. “I’d been thinking of Fire, Death or Poison Magic to help with getting rid of the gnolls, but more mana… It’s more mana, innit?”

It sure is more mana, the spirit agreed. But think of it like this. If you ever want to take one of those magic Skills, now is probably the time to do it. You won’t get your first Spell until Shaman Level 13, but if you put off taking the Skill until then you’ll put off the first Spell all the way until Level 21.

“Oh, yeah. I was thinking about that, but hearing the numbers like that sounds worse.”

Right. So the decision you need to make is: Do you want any of those magic Skills enough to wait for weeks at least before you get a Spell? Do you want it more than you want another 80 mana right now? Especially with your new Wind Magic Spell?

“No,” Mash said, with a sigh from the depths of her soul. “I keep running out when I need more. And I want to make gnolls fly!”

Then the decision is easy. Not fun, maybe, but easy.

“Yeah. All right, squiggles. Give me Magical Reserves!”

At least taking the Skill felt satisfying. She could feel the vessel in her soul where she kept her magic grow, and it felt like potential. And, hell, her Summary didn’t look half bad when she was done!

[Summary for Mistral, Unbound Aura (Goblin vessel)

Classes:

Goblin Shaman (8)

Goblin Scrum Boss (1)

Total Class Levels: 9

Directions:

Goblin

Mana: 320/320 (+13)

Skills from Goblin Shaman:

Plant Magic

Ritual Magic

Contingency Casting

Wind Magic

Magical Reserves

Skills from Goblin Scrum Boss:

Scrum Fighting

Non-Class Skills:

Survival

Scrapping

Leadership

Dancing

Sneaking

Spells Known:

From Plant Magic:

Healing Roots (Specialized: Partial Regrowth)

Create Vineling

Bramble Growth

Spells Known:

From Wind Magic:

Rising Wind

Quests:

A Lone Goblin Is A Dead Goblin]